Jake Matthews may finally be putting it all together.
On Saturday, Matthews took on Chidi Njokuani on the prelims of UFC Nashville, and “The Celtic Kid” made quick work of his opponent, submitting Njokuani in the first round.
Njokuani came out blasting his trademark kicks, but Matthews held a tight guard and remained undeterred, pressing forward. Matthews then grabbed a clinch and as they grappled, hit a slick little foot sweep to off-balance Njokuani. Matthews pounced on the back straight away and put the choke on, and though Njokuani tried valiantly to fight it off, he was forced to tap just 69 seconds into the bout.
The win is Matthews’ third in a row since losing a competitive fight with Michael Morales in 2023. Following the bout, the Australian fighter called for a chance at the Top 15, asking for former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.
Check out Matthews’s slick submission below.
JAKE MATTHEWS SUBMITS CHIDI NJOKUANI IN THE FIRST ROUND‼️ #UFCNashville pic.twitter.com/Kqjtv9aAwU
— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2025
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